Tesla CEO Elon Musk is calling for the release of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer convicted of murdering George Floyd.
Musk’s comments came after Chauvin filed a new petition seeking to overturn his state murder conviction.
“Derek Chauvin was unjustly convicted of murder; therefore he should be freed,” Musk wrote on X.
Musk followed up by arguing that the evidence shows Chauvin did not cause Floyd’s death.
“The facts show that he was not the cause of death, nor did he at any time intend for a death to occur,” Musk wrote. “Whatever else he may be, he is not a murderer. That is the truth.”
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Chauvin’s Latest Attempt to Overturn His Conviction
Chauvin’s attorneys filed their latest petition on Aug. 18, arguing that “structural errors” and procedural failures tainted his prosecution.
It is Chauvin’s third petition for post-conviction relief.
His attorneys argue that Gov. Tim Walz improperly assigned Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison to prosecute the case.
They also argue that the Hennepin County District Court should have convened a grand jury and secured an indictment before Chauvin was charged.
His attorneys contend that the alleged violations deprived Chauvin of due process and left the court without jurisdiction over the charges.
“As a result of these several due process violations, including the failure to present the matter to a grand jury for a probable cause determination or even to convene one, both this Court and the District Court lack jurisdiction over the charges in the Amended Complaint on which he is currently incarcerated, and it must be dismissed immediately,” Chauvin’s legal team wrote.
The Minnesota Attorney General’s Office has not immediately commented on the latest petition.
Chauvin’s previous attempts to overturn his conviction have been unsuccessful. The Minnesota Court of Appeals upheld his conviction in 2023, and it denied his subsequent post-conviction petition in May 2026.
Chauvin’s Conviction and Federal Guilty Plea
Chauvin was fired from the Minneapolis Police Department the day after Floyd’s death.
In April 2021, a Minnesota jury found Chauvin guilty of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. He was sentenced to 22½ years in state prison.
Chauvin later pleaded guilty to federal charges that he violated Floyd’s civil rights and received a concurrent 21-year federal sentence.
As part of that guilty plea, Chauvin admitted that he willfully deprived Floyd of his constitutional rights and used unreasonable and excessive force.
He also admitted that his actions resulted in Floyd’s death. The Justice Department said Chauvin acknowledged that his use of force impaired Floyd’s ability to get enough oxygen and that his failure to provide medical aid contributed to Floyd’s death.
What happened to George Floyd
Floyd died on May 25, 2020, after Chauvin pinned him face-down on the pavement while he was handcuffed.
Chauvin pressed his knee against Floyd’s neck and back for roughly nine and a half minutes.
The incident was captured on video and sparked massive protests and outrage worldwide.
Floyd’s official cause of death was homicide caused by cardiopulmonary arrest brought on by law enforcement subdual, restraint and neck compression.
Medical experts who testified at Chauvin’s trial said Floyd died from a lack of oxygen after being restrained face-down with pressure applied to his neck and back.
That evidence conflicts with Musk’s assertion that Chauvin was not responsible for Floyd’s death.
Musk also pointed to Chauvin calling an ambulance for Floyd after the encounter.
But court records show former Minneapolis police officer Thomas Lane requested an ambulance for Floyd.
Musk Isn’t Alone
Several prominent right-wing figures have also backed the argument that Chauvin should be released.
Matt Van Swol, a former U.S. Department of Energy nuclear scientist, responded to Musk by claiming Floyd died from an overdose.
“George Floyd died of an overdose,” Van Swol wrote. “I agree, Derek Chauvin should be freed.”
Right-wing activist Jack Posobiec also promoted a GiveSendGo fundraiser for Chauvin’s legal defense.
“The fight continues,” the fundraiser says, alleging that Minnesota officials violated Chauvin’s constitutional right to due process and calling for his conviction to be dismissed.
As of Thursday, the campaign had raised roughly $36,000 toward its $150,000 goal.
Chauvin is currently scheduled to be released Dec. 10, 2035, according to the Minnesota Department of Corrections.
